Rising Legacy
by Dragon6
Summary: Naruto is back! He is much stronger than before and ready to deal with the Akatsuki. However, it is not his only enemy this time. There is a group that wants to see Konoha and all that they have created burn to the ground. Naruto will not allow that to happen and his friends are right there with him, including a love interest in a blond haired kunoichi with control issues.
1. Chapter 1

It was a beautiful day in the Hidden Leaf Village. People were smiling and enjoying the day doing various things. Even the shinobi of the Leaf were enjoying the day. Inside the Hokage tower, a busty, blonde woman just held the bridge of her nose as she looked at one of the new genin team. It just happened to be the team with all of Naruto's friends, Udon, Moegi and Konohamaru. They had just gotten through a mission that should have been pretty simple. However, they couldn't do that right and did a half assed job. She looked at Ebisu who flinched.

"Well, can you explain this?" Tsunade asked.

"I'm really sorry Lady Tsunade. I lost control of the situation." Ebisu said pathetically.

"Maybe if we got a better mission, we wouldn't be so bored." Konohamaru muttered.

"You got something to say brat?" Tsunade asked with a bored tone.

"Yeah, why the hell are we getting these boring missions?! We deserve a better mission!" Konohamaru exclaimed.

"You haven't even done any of the small stuff right. The last mission you did didn't end for half the day and that was to catch the daimyō wife's cat." Tsunade answered him calmly. All three looked ashamed at that statement.

"Still, can't you give us a better mission big sis?" Konohamaru begged. She smiled at that. He had taken up calling her that after dealing with him personally when it came to taking her sensei's office. He would call her sister or big sis, which made her feel good. If only his hero had that much respect.

"How about this, you and you team do the next ten D-rank mission really good and I'll see about getting you a mission outside the village." Tsunade said. Konohamaru and his friends cheered and promised to do so. As they were about to leave, Konohamaru remembered something he wanted to ask Tsunade.

"Hey big sis, do you know when the boss is due back?" Konohamaru asked. Tsunade wasn't really surprised by the question as he had asked it before. Like him, she had missed the chūnin-level knuckle head. Things were kind of boring without him here. She couldn't wait for him to return so that he could see the differences of his comrades and the village. She turned to her calendar and she was a little surprised to see that today was the day that Naruto was supposed to returned. She looked at team Ebisu and smiled.

"How about I give you guy's a special mission?" Tsunade asked with a smile.

**_XXX_**

Two males entered the village, one an old man, the other a young teen. The old man was wearing a green short shirt kimono and matching pants; under which he wore mesh armor that showed out of the sleeves and legs of his outfit. He also wore hand guards, a simple black belt, traditional Japanese wooden sandals, a red haori with two simple yellow circles on each side, and a scroll on his back. On his head was horned forehead protector with the symbol for 'oil' on it. The teen next to him wore something similar to that. He wore pale grey robes with a design of red flames on the edges, with a green ribbon showing a curled gold design tied in a loose bow around his waist. He also wore the standard black mesh shirt with red lining, and wore puffy black pants that are tighter around the ankles. He wore a pair of black sandals to complete the outfit.

After some time walking, the blonde haired, blue-eyes teenager ran up a pole to get a good look at the village that was his home. The white-haired man just smiled at him as he threw his arm out like he wanted to hug the village.

"Hey Leaf Village, your future Hokage has returned!" he exclaimed. Naruto had a huge grin and let out a long breathe. He then observed the village and saw that some things had changed, including the addition to the Hokage Monument. "Ha, hey Pervy Sage, Granny Tsunade got her face on the monument."

"The more things change, the more things stay the same." A voice said. Naruto looked to his left to see Kakashi sitting on the roof. "Yo."

"Kakashi-sensei!" he greeted and jumped off the pole to see his old sensei. The man hadn't changed at all, still in the same clothes and same style. "How have you been sensei?"

"I've been good Naruto. I like the new clothes." Kakashi said.

"Oh thanks, these are my training and out-going clothes. Oh, I've got a surprise for you." Naruto said and dug into his pack. He pulled out a green colored book and handed it to him. Kakashi was surprised and in awe at the book that he was given.

"Naruto, this… is…" Kakashi said in shock.

"Yeah, it's the new book that the Pervy Sage wrote. It's pretty boring if you ask me so you can have it. Truth be told, he should do a sequel to his first book but he's too much of an old fool to do so." Naruto commented.

"Shut up brat! What the hell do you know about literature?!" Jiraiya spat.

"I think he has a good grasp of literature." A voice said. Everyone turned to see Tsunade flanked by team Ebisu and Shizune. Naruto smiled and jumped off the roof. He dashed and caught Tsunade in a hug. The woman returned to hug, which she did not have to bend down to do. He released her and gave Shizune a hug too. Moegi was next and he gave Udon and Konohamaru a hi-five each. He shook Ebisu's hand before turning his attention back to Tsunade.

"So, how's being Hokage been for you Granny Tsunade?" Naruto asked. Ignoring the twitch, Tsunade just sighed.

"It's a little stressful kid. Too much work to do." She answered.

"Well, I hope that this helps." Naruto said as he dug into his bag and pulled out a scroll. He handed his the scroll and a small note. He pulled out another scroll and handed it to Shizune. He then pulled out a scroll each for his little friends. They each thank him for the gifts. Tsunade then got serious and faced Naruto.

"Chūnin Uzumaki," she called out. Naruto saw that she was serious and got serious as well. "Due to you master's laziness of reports of your growth, we are going to see just how strong you have become since leaving the village. I don't have a day in mind but be prepared to show us just how much you have grown."

"Yes Madame Hokage." Naruto said with seriousness.

"Until then, enjoy you homecoming. I left a surprise at you apartment." Tsunade said. Naruto's eyes brightened and he quickly left to get to his home. Tsunade got a wicked smirk on her face, which everybody saw. Jiraiya looked at her with a smile.

"What did you just do?" Jiraiya asked smiling. Tsunade didn't say anything and just made her way back to the Hokage tower.

**_XXX_**

Naruto unlocked his door to his apartment and entered. He was happy to be back in his old home and glad that it wasn't a mess. That's when Naruto paused and looked over his apartment. Something was wrong here. His apartment was just too clean. He guessed that this was the surprise that Granny was talking about. Still, it didn't smell like his apartment. It smelled rather girly, scents of lavender and other fresh smells. It bugged him a little.

He entered his kitchen and found that most of his ramen was gone. It was replaced with other foods, healthy foods. Even his fridge was stocked up with stuff. He was a little frustrated but he ignored it for now. He decided to go to his room and get a few winks of sleep. He made his way to his room and opened the door. He threw it open to see some very surprising. It was a girl, a very sexy looking girl, a very sexy looking girl with no top on and a pair of panties. Admiring the pair that she had on her chest, he looked up and went white as a sheet when he saw who it was that he had just walked in on. He could never forget the angry green pupil-less eyes of Ino Yamanaka.

Naruto quickly shut the door and held it closed. What the hell was Ino doing in his apartment, changing her clothes? That's when a blade of a tanto pierced through the door, right next to his head. Naruto quickly moved out of the way and ran to the living room. He heard his room door open and a loud growl behind him. He now had to survive Ino's rage so that he could get him some answers.

**_XXX_**

Tsunade and Jiraiya were enjoying some of the sake that the brat had brought her within the scroll. It was very good sake and he had gotten her three large size jars. She also read his little note and laughed at what it said. She laughed because she couldn't understand why she didn't think of that. Either way, it was something that she was going to try tomorrow. She poured her another saucer before facing Jiraiya.

"So, are you going to explain yourself pervert? I told you to keep me updated on his progress. The only form of progress I got was from the mission reports that you had him fill out." Tsunade said.

"I was too busy training him and keeping my ears out for new information about the Akatsuki." Jiraiya answered.

"I thought that they weren't going to be making their move in three years. I don't think the time is up." Tsunade said.

"When have you ever known the bad guys to keep to a time table? Trust me, they'll be making their move sooner rather than later." Jiraiya said.

"Is Naruto ready for it?"

"More than you think. I wasn't the only one who was training him. Surprising, the nine-tails has been helping him. I don't know how but Naruto has somehow formed a bond with the demon." Jiraiya said. That surprised Tsunade a lot but it made her frown.

"Don't you think that was something you should have reported to me?" Tsunade snarled.

"Well, it wasn't like we could. Besides training and doing those missions, we had to be on the lookout for Orochimaru's forces." Jiraiya explained. Tsunade looked at him, demanding an explanation. "You and I figured that Orochimaru would have been angry at Sasuke Uchiha's death. Somehow, he learned that Naruto was the one who stopped him from coming to him. A month into our trip, we were attacked by members of the Fūma clan of the Sound Country. Luckily we were backed up by members who were not allies of Orochimaru. Since that attack, he has sent teams after him. It stopped after a while. Apparently, the Akatsuki came out of hiding to deal with Orochimaru for attempting to kill him. I know that he survived along with Kabuto. Still, he has a kill order out on him. Although, we should probably thank Orochimaru for the help. It has helped Naruto grow."

"Still, this is pretty disturbing that Orochimaru would go to such lengths to kill Naruto. I will have to do an investigation as to how he got that information. A lot of things have been happening to us as of late and I don't like it." Tsunade said with some concern.

"Are you talking about the fact that several of our shinobi have been getting attacked? That's happening here too?" Jiraiya asked with surprise.

"You want to share?" Tsunade asked.

"I've been getting information about Orochimaru's forces being attacked as well. It isn't just them but I believe that some housing dens for the Akatsuki have been attacked as well. The Hidden Waterfall, Hidden Grass, Wave Country and Bird Country have been under distress as well." Jiraiya said.

"Do you have an idea as to who is doing this?" Tsunade asked.

"It's a small group but they happen to be well financed. I caught a member of the group and I managed to flip him but they caught him the second he returned to the group. They found his body in the River Country." Jiraiya reported.

"This is not good. We have enough on our plate to be worrying about a new enemy. Let's figure out who we are dealing with and fast before they become a major threat." Tsunade said. Jiraiya nodded at the order. "Now, tell me how much has Naruto improved?" Jiraiya smiled at her.

"In the beginning, he just grew at a normal pace. His taijutsu and ninjutsu grew and he dabbled in the other arts. It wasn't until I took him to Hidden Eddy Village did things change." Jiraiya said.

"So he knows about his heritage?" Tsunade asked.

"His mother's side yes but not his father's. I didn't think he was ready for that yet. I have no doubt that he will be able to protect himself for his father's enemies soon but for now, that will have to stay in the dark." Jiraiya said. Tsunade nodded and waited for him to continue. "After that trip, he pushed himself beyond his limits to make his ancestors proud. He's a wrecking ball Tsunade and I fear for anyone who gets in his way."

"Well, I'm really curious to see what he can do. That is if he survives his encounter with Ino." Tsunade said with a smirk. Jiraiya was confused by that but he ignored it and continued to drink with Tsunade. Naruto could survive against Inoichi's daughter for whatever trouble he got himself in.

**_XXXXX_**

**_Authors' Notes_**: Well, a lot of people were angry that I didn't do an Ino/Naruto moment at the end of _True Legacy_. So, here's you go, a funny embarrassing moment that I have been doing in the last story. Well, here is the sequel to _True Legacy_. A lot of new things that are going to happen in this one. I will be doing the _Gaara Rescue Arc_ but after that, all new baby. Well, enjoy.


	2. Chapter 2

Naruto had built a little fort around him. He fortified his position and waited for the rage that was Ino Yamanaka to return. After dodging and flinging things in her way to avoid death, the toweled Ino decided to get dress and return. Naruto used this time to get ready for her again. When Ino entered his view, he got a good look at her. She was wearing a pair of black boots that had heels. She was also wearing a pair of short black biker shorts, a lavender colored heavy sweater which was cover by a purple jacket. She had on a black wrist band as well. She was carrying a small bag and her tanto. She glared at Naruto who looked ready to defend himself. She put her weapons and clothes in the kitchen before coming back to the living room with her arms folded.

"Well?" Ino said with a tone.

"Well what? What the hell were you doing in _my_ room in _my _apartment getting dressed?" Naruto demanded.

"The hot water at my place wasn't working so I came here to use your shower. You saw the door closed. You should have knocked." Ino stated.

"Why the hell would I knock on _my _own door?" Naruto demanded.

"God, you're still a pervert." She then noticed the state of the living room. "You better help me clean this up Naruto. It took me a long time to set it up right." Ino said.

"Okay, first of all, that was an accident. Second of all, who are you to dictate what I do with _my _apartment? Where is all my great stuff? You better had not burnt it all." Naruto said.

"I sold it with Lady Tsunade's permission. Now enough of your drama and clean this up. I'm not leaving until you do." Ino said. Naruto looked ready to ignore her order but he figured that he would only make it worst. With a sigh, he began to put everything back in place. As he did, Ino gave him a look over.

"You're looking well. How was your three year training mission?" Ino asked.

"It wasn't bad. Jiraiya worked me into the ground. It was so bad that I had to get some new clothes. We mostly worked on improving most of my moves and learning some new ones. During the trip, I learned fūinjutsu to honor my mother and my clan." Naruto said.

"You know about your mother and you have a clan?" Ino asked him in surprise. Naruto gave her a sad smile.

"Yeah, the Pervy Sage told me about her and the Uzumaki clan when he took me to the ruins of their village, the Hidden Eddy Village. It was load off me because I always wanted to know about where I came from. I was kind of bummed that a lot of them are gone but I look to make them proud. Besides, when I become Hokage and could just put the word out to survivors to come to Konoha." He said happily. Ino smiled as well. She was happy that Naruto learnt something about his family.

"So, whose your mother?" Ino asked.

"Her name is Kushina Uzumaki. Apparently, I get a lot of my mannerism from her. I also got her love for ninjutsu from her too. I guess she was the awesome one." Naruto boasted and Ino rolled her eyes. Naruto decided to take control of the conversation. "So what about you? What have you been up to?"

"Well, I made chūnin about two years ago. I've been training under Anko Mitarashi for a good while." Ino said.

"Anko? Isn't she that crazy lady from the second stage of the exams?" Naruto asked.

"She might be crazy but she knows her stuff. She trained me for the exams and has been training me since then. My dad doesn't really approve but I've gotten much better. Asuma-sensei even said that I could be a jōnin in six months. I joined a force that lady Tsunade put together and I'm the one that she comes to when it comes to integrating new shinobi into the forces." Ino explained.

"You mean like missing-nin or new genin?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, I'm trusted with it because I can read people pretty good. I'm so good at it that I was able to root out two spies last year. It's also why I noticed that you stared at my breasts and enjoyed it." Ino said with a growl. Naruto gulped at the tone and quickly readied himself to run. "You better keep your mouth shut or I will kill you."

"Gotcha." Naruto said and finished putting the living room back together. He sighed and turned his attention back to Ino. "What about the others?"

"Well, Kiba, Hinata, Chōji, Tenten, Lee and Shikamaru are chūnin. Shino made jōnin six months ago and Neji has been a jōnin for a year. Temari and Kankuro…" Ino spoke.

"Are jōnin and Gaara is the new Kazekage. Yeah, I was there for his coordination. I was really happy for him because he made it. He might be ahead of me now but I'll be Hokage soon." Naruto said with some pride.

"Well, I guess I should get going. Before I do," Ino quickly appeared in front of him and kneed him in the gut. Naruto dropped to the ground and wheezed while Ino smirked. "I feel better now. See ya around Naruto and welcome back." Ino said sweetly and walked out of his apartment with her stuff. Naruto laid on the ground annoyed and in pain. Still, he did get a good view and it wouldn't be going away any time soon. He sat up and made his way to his room to get some well-deserved rest.

**_XXX_**

The next day, Naruto got a summons from Tsunade to meet at the stadium at nine. It said to be prepared for anything. Naruto took a bath and got dressed in his battle clothes. It consisted of orange bottoms, a black long sleeve, turtle neck sweater that the sleeves were rolled up to his forearms. Since his chūnin jacket was ruined, he was wearing a standard flak vest. He tied his black colored forehead protector and put on some fingerless fighting gloves. He ate some breakfast and did a check of his equipment. Once he was sure that everything was there, he used the Body Flicker to get to where he was going.

He arrived with ten minutes to spare. He walked up to Tsunade who told him to get down to the grounds. He turned to see Kakashi down there. He jumped down and walked up to his sensei who was reading the book that he gave him.

"So I guess that I'll be fighting you sensei?" Naruto asked.

"It's something like that Naruto." Kakashi said. He closed his book and faced Naruto with a serious expression. "This isn't going to be like the genin test that I gave you as a kid." Naruto noticed a lone bell on his belt. "This is going to be a very serious spar and you better bring your 'A' game to the table." Naruto just smirked at him and rolled his shoulders. That's when Tsunade began to speak.

"This match is Kakashi Hatake versus Naruto Uzumaki to determine what rank chūnin Uzumaki should be. This contest has a thirty minute time limit in which Naruto must get that bell from jōnin Hatake. Jōnin Gai, please start the match."

"Yosh! Let this youthful spar explode! Begin!" Gai exclaimed. Naruto quickly summoned a clone and the two did some quick hand seals. Kakashi uncovered his Sharingan eye just as he finished.

"Earth Style: Earthen Corridor!" Naruto called out. Kakashi watched as the earth rose and formed a cave around him. He saw an exit at the top but Naruto was there. He watched him with his Sharingan and his eyes widen.

"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bomb!" Naruto shouted and blew out a large flame that entered the cave. Naruto was lifted into the air as the flames destroyed the cave with Kakashi in it. Naruto stopped his attack and turned around, throwing several shuriken behind him. Kakashi pulled out a kunai and deflected everything. Naruto landed and formed several Shadows Clones. They all charged at Kakashi. The original make a clicking sound and two of his clones broke off. Another clicking sound and three broke formation. Kakashi was impressed and readied himself.

That's when he jumped into the air to avoid get caught by two hands. He charged his Lightning Blade and drove it into the ground. He dispelled the clone and then launched several hounds made of lightning at the three coming from his left. The three did some seals and in one breath, launched their attack.

"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" there shouted and a huge gust blew away the hounds and Kakashi. Kakashi saw the two clones coming from behind, their legs ready. Kakashi knew what this was and quickly substituted with a log. He landed and was engaged with the original. Naruto attacked with his taijutsu, which Kakashi realized was much improved. He backed up when he felt something cut his cheek when Naruto threw a roundhouse. He looked with his Sharingan as Naruto continued his attack. He saw when Naruto would throw low or high roundhouse kicks, axe kicks or hook kicks; a blade of wind came with it.

_'Amazing! He has integrated his Air Blade attack into his taijutsu. Even if you blocked or dodged, you would still get cut. Not only that, he uses earth, wind and fire ninjutsu. Not to mention how he is using his clones.'_ Kakashi thought.

"You shouldn't be lost in your thoughts sensei!" Naruto shouted. Kakashi saw that he had surrounded him. All of them unleashed four Air Blades. Kakashi had to avoid injury again by switching with a log. The ground where he stood was nothing but a crater. Naruto spun and lashed out with a hook kick which was avoided. He received a palm to the jaw for his miss. The blow was hard enough to dispel him. Kakashi called on two Lightning Blades and moved with incredible speed. He dispelled any clone that got within striking distance until there was one. Naruto waited for Kakashi to charge at him and slammed his hand on the ground. Kakashi used the Body Flicker to avoid the string of seals and appeared behind Naruto. Naruto smirked and did a one-handed seal. Kakashi was frozen in place as a seal appeared below him. Naruto swiped the bell and quickly got away. Kakashi forced himself free and escape just as the seal detonated. That's when Gai stepped in.

"This youthful match is over! The winner of the match is Uzumaki Naruto!" Gai called out. The ninjas in the stance were clapping at the display that they just witnesses. Naruto sat on the ground and took some deep breaths. That was an intense fight and Naruto had gone all out from beginning to end. Kakashi walked over to his student and gave the tired boy an eye smile.

"Nicely done Naruto. I didn't expect that last move." Kakashi said.

"I'm just glad it held you for as long as I thought." Naruto said with a laugh. In the crowd, a hidden figure watched from the shadows. He was impressed with what he saw and made a note to keep a better eye on Naruto in the future.

**_XXX_**

Naruto stood in the meeting hall and waited. In front of him, were Tsunade and her advisors, the guys who would advise the old man when he was still alive. To his left were the clan heads and to his right were several high ranking ninja. He took a deep breath and waited to hear what they had to say.

"Naruto, what can I say. That was a very amazing display of skill. You have grown from that snot nose little punk and blossomed into a talented shinobi. Before I make my ruling, would anyone like to speak or give their opinion?" Tsunade asked. Shikaku was the first to stand.

"Personally, I think that there is no doubt that he deserves to be a jōnin. The way he used his jutsu and how he tactfully used his Shadow Clones were at a very high level. I don't think he gave Kakashi a chance to properly attack. While I speak for myself, I have no doubt that my fellow clan heads agree with my words." Shikaku said. His fellow clan heads nodded. He sat down and the ANBU commander stood up.

"I believe Naruto would be a great addition to our jōnin forces. I have read about the missions that he has done during his time with Lord Jiraiya. It shows a steady growth of skill and command that I find very incredible. You have my blessing when it comes to his growth of rank. He deserves the rank of jōnin." The commander said. He sat back down. Tsunade looked ready to speak but she was cut off by a voice on the left side.

"Why did you not show your ability with the Nine-tails chakra?" the voice asked. Naruto turned toward the voice and saw a man with his face covered in bandages. The man looked at him and looked like he was trying to enter his mind. Naruto did not really like the look but kept his cool. "I have learned that you can call on its chakra at will. I am curious as to why you did not show that ability?"

"The situation did not call for it. Yes, I can call on the chakra of the nine-tails but we have an agreement of sorts when it comes to it. It has worked for the both of us and it has helped us get along." Naruto said.

"An agreement? Would you care to elaborate?" he asked.

"No, I don't think I will. We are shinobi and we are allowed to keep our secrets. You don't really have to fear the fox as much. We have worked well together." Naruto said. The man didn't look like he liked the answer but before he can continue, Tsunade spoke.

"That will be enough of that. If Jiraiya and I trust him with the Nine-tailed Fox, then you should as well." She stated. The man nodded and backed off. Tsunade then faced Naruto. "Well then it is my honor and privilege to promote you to full jōnin. See me in my office after we adjourned. Congratulations." Naruto just smiled at her and bowed. He turned to leave but took a quick look at the man with the bandages. He got a bad feeling from that man and wondered what his deal was.

**_XXXXX_**

**_Authors Notes_**: Truth be told, in the current manga, Naruto should be a chūnin of special jōnin. I never really liked the fact that he has been a genin with Kage level skills. It seems ridiculous to me. Anyway, last time I had Naruto as a special jōnin. However, with the change of the last story, I made his a full jōnin. Hope you enjoy the new chapter. Sorry that it was late.


	3. Chapter 3

Naruto looked at his new flak jacket with a big grin. He was a jōnin and he couldn't be happier. All that training to grow stronger paid off and he was now a jōnin. He couldn't wait to show this off to his friends and comrades. The first stop on his victory trail, Ichirakus'. He reached in record time and as he turned to corner, he was surprised to see a banner that said 'Congratulations'. At the shop, he saw Kakashi, Jiraiya, Shizune and Tsunade. He smiled as he saw the people that he cared about. He walked up to them and they all cheered for him.

"Congratulations kid, you did really well." Jiraiya greeted him with a pat to the back. Naruto sat down at his stool and a big bowl was placed in front of him. It was his favorite and he immediately dung in. Everyone laughed as he ate with amazing speed and finished it. As another one was made, Naruto faced Kakashi.

"That was a good match Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said.

"Yes it was, even if I didn't get a chance to really attack you or formulate a plan. Also, your use of Fire Style, Earth Style and Wind Style was impressive. When did you start learn fūinjutsu?" Kakashi asked.

"When Pervy Sage took me to my mother's homeland. I found some scrolls there and Pervy Sage showed me some stuff. I didn't bring any of those scrolls with me but I did destroy them. I wouldn't want the Cloud Village to find anything." Naruto said. They noticed his tone but ignored it. "Say, are the guys out on mission or something?"

"Team Kurenai and team Gai are out on mission right now. Shikamaru is busy with the Chūnin Exams, Ino is doing a little side project and Chōji was with his father. Don't worry; you'll get a proper celebration when they get back." Tsunade said.

"Okay. What was up with that guy? You know the guy with the bandages? He didn't seem to like the answers that I gave him when he asked about you know what." Naruto said.

"His name is Danzō and you need to be very careful when dealing with him Naruto. He is kind of a militant when it comes to how a ninja should be." Tsunade said.

"Why would he be interested in the fox?" Naruto asked.

"He sees it as a weapon, nothing more. Be careful should he approach you Naruto. He is not someone to take lightly." She said. Naruto nodded and asked for another bowl.

_**XXX**_

Naruto returned home, full and happy. He made his way to his room and quickly laid down on his bed. As he laid down on the bed, he closed his eyes and got a little sleepy. When he reopened his eyes, he was in a sewer. He quickly stood and made his way down to where the Nine-tailed Fox was staying. He stood in front of the gate and waited. After a few moments, the fox showed himself to him.

He had not changed in the time that they had gotten to know each other. They were far from friends as they continued to annoy each other and insulted each other. They did have a very great working relationship. The deal was for Naruto to give the fox a taste of the outside through him and he would teach him how to use his chakra. It worked out for both parties as he got to feel and touch while Naruto got to master the chakra of the Nine-tails. He was really good at using three tails worth of his power and was currently trying to learn how to use four.

"So, aren't you going to congratulate me?" Naruto asked with a big grin. The fox just scoffed at him.

"**So you went up in rank, big whoop. You wouldn't be half the ninja if it wasn't for me.**" The fox said.

"Still a little bitch huh? That's okay, I know you like me somewhat." Naruto said with a smirk. He suddenly got serious. "So, what was that feeling earlier? You mad about something?"

"**It was that man, the one with the bandages. You should listen to the one with the melons. That man is dangerous. He tried something when he looked at you. It was as if he was trying to control me through you. It was something that hasn't happened since I attacked the village.**" the fox explained. Naruto knew what really happened the night of his birth from the mouth of the fox. Knowing what happened, Naruto's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"The only thing that can control you is the Sharingan. That shouldn't be possible. Kakashi-sensei is the only one who has had the Sharingan successfully implanted into him and the only person who did it is dead." Naruto said.

"**Yes, you are right. Also, I felt something else familiar. It feels like he can bind my power as well.**" Naruto was now really worried about who this man was. What else could this Danzō do and what was he hiding.

"That's going to be a problem. Lucky for us, we dealt with that problem. Took us mostly two and a half years to do it but we did it. Itachi will be in for a surprise when we go up against him again." Naruto said with a smirk.

"**That he will. You know, you would make a very good fox. It's too bad your were born human.**" The fox said. Naruto just gave him the middle finger before leaving. Naruto opened his eyes for a second and sat up. He made his way to his bathroom to get ready for bed.

_**XXX**_

Naruto was awakened by a loud banging on his door. Tiredly, he got up and made his way to his door. He opened it and he was surprised to see Shikamaru. He had grown noticeably taller. His hairstyle remains the same, but he changed his earrings from rings to studs. He was still wearing his flak jacket, along with a black long sleeved shirt paired with matching pants and sandals, and green lined mesh armor on his wrists and ankles. Naruto wiped his eyes and faced his friend.

"What's up Shikamaru?" Naruto asked tiredly.

"Sorry to wake you Naruto but there is an emergency. The Fifth Kazekage was kidnapped by the Akatsuki late last night." Shikamaru explained. Naruto quickly woke up at those words. He pulled Shikamaru inside and closed the door. He then faced him.

"What happened?" Naruto asked seriously.

"He was taken by one man, some who used clay to bomb the village. He wore a scratched symbol of Iwa. We don't know any more but we know that they work in two's. Kankuro was reported to have been going after him. Kakashi, Temari and Shizune are waiting for you at the gates." Shikamaru said. Naruto nodded and began to get ready. Before he did, he threw something at Shikamaru. It was a black book.

"There's a section in that book that is labeled 'Iwa'. Check it over and see if the guy that you mentioned is in there." Naruto said and went to get ready. Shikamaru was confused and opened the book. He was surprised to see several tags, each with a ninja village. He turned to the Iwa section and searched. By the fifth page, he found the man that Suna mentioned. When Naruto returned, he was wearing a standard jōnin uniform with his flak vest. His shins were taped and he had a belt tied to his waist. There were two shin guards that covered his forearms.

"Did you find him?" He asked. Shikamaru pointed to the guy and Naruto nodded and fixed himself. "Get that book to granny Tsunade and tell her who we are facing. I'll tell the others as we're going." Shikamaru nodded and the two left his apartment. They both vanished to get to their destination.

_**XXX**_

Naruto was with Temari, Shizune and Kakashi. They were traveling fast, hoping to reach the border within the day. Naruto wanted to move faster but he was convinced by the others to calm down. He did just that and was moving at their pace. As they moved, Kakashi spoke to him.

"So, we are dealing with Deidara, a missing ninja from Iwagakure?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah, Shikamaru was able to tell by the abilities he used. Deidara use to be a student of the Sandaime Tsuchikage and was a member of their Explosion Corps. He suddenly turned traitor when he stolen a kinjutsu scroll to learn some sort of jutsu. He blew up several buildings in Iwa and fled. He's an S-rank ninja." Naruto explained.

"And Iwa just gave you this information?" Temari asked.

"When I was with the Pervy Sage, I suggested that we should figure out who else would be in the Akatsuki. With the exception of Amegakure, we managed to get a list of all of the S-rank shinobi from each village. Truth is, we kind of forced some of their hands." Naruto said.

"How?" Shizune asked.

"We gave each daimyō a gold copy of the Pervy Sage's book that was signed by him. Neither the Pervy Sage or I are allowed in Iwagakure or Kumogakure." Naruto said. "I meant to give it to Granny Tsunade but I was kind of busy fighting for my life when I returned." He looked at Shizune who just smirked at him.

"Whatever the case, we have a name to the face. Let's get going and deal with him. I will need all the information that you were able to remember of Deidara's tactics." Kakashi ordered. He nodded and the group continued on the way to Suna.

_**XXX**_

Tsunade read the book that Shikamaru had just given her. She was impressed with the work that Naruto and Jiraiya did. She took Deidara's page and put it in the Akatsuki section. After that, she continued to look at the book. For some reason, she looked into the Suna section of the book. She didn't really want to believe that someone from Suna would do something to Gaara but something came to her. Who would be the perfect match to deal with Gaara?

It was something that she thought us since learning of Itachi's and Kisame's attempt to get Naruto. She got reports back from her contacts in Kiri about the ability of Kisame's sword, Shark Skin. If Naruto used the Nine-tails chakra, that sword could easily take that chakra away. Then there was the well-known fact that the Sharingan can suppress the chakra of the demon. They were the best choice to go after Naruto and two other jinchūriki that she knew of. So who would be the best match to combat Gaara?

Deidara was actually a good choice due to his Explosion Style and the kinjutsu he stole. He could use his clay to attack from a distance. Knowing that the Akatsuki worked in pairs, who would be a compliment to him? As she searched, her eyes landed on one man. As she read what they got on him, she was sure that it could be him. If it was, then the team that she sent would not be enough. She was about to get a team when one just entered her office.

"Lady Hokage, we have returned within a day due to our youthful energy. Our mission was a success." The excited man said. Tsunade just smirked at him.

"That's good to here. I'm sorry to say that you will need that energy right now." Tsunade said.

"What is going on?" asked the female.

"Team Gai, you are to re-equip and rest for thirty minutes. Once that is over, you are to immediately leave and back-up Kakashi's team who are heading to Suna. The Fifth Kazekage has been kidnapped by the Akatsuki and your skills would be the greatest asset to them. This is an S-rank mission." Tsunade said with seriousness.

"Yes ma'am." They said and left.

_**XXX**_

Naruto, Kakashi, Baki and a new face was making their way toward the Land of Rivers. That new ally was elder Chiyo. They arrived in Sunagakure within three days. They quickly made their way to the hospital where Kankuro was in critical condition. When they entered the room, the old woman saw Kakashi and suddenly attacked him. Naruto quickly came to his sensei's defense and stopped the woman cold. They two looked ready to fight if it wasn't for her brother, Ebizō. She then laughed it off and called it a joke.

After that, Shizune got to work. After getting the information from the medics, she used the Poison Extraction Jutsu to pull out the poison that he was effected with. He was still in danger but Shizune had something to make an antidote. Kakashi summoned his hounds to search for the Akatsuki and Kankuro help by giving him a piece of Sasori's clothes. His hounds got to work and found a trail in hours. By the morning, Shizune was able to create an antidote for the poison. She gave it to Kankuro and two more to Kakashi.

They made their way to the Land of Rivers when Baki decided to join them. Not only did he join them but the old woman did as well. After giving out orders to everyone, they were gone to their destination. One of Kakashi's dogs told him that team Gai was on their way. Kakashi sent Pakkun to lead them to the Land of Rivers. A day had passed and they were making good time. That's when all of them saw someone ahead of them. They all stopped and faced the person who was in their way. Naruto looked particularly worried and Kakashi stood protectively in front of Naruto. The man looked at the group and his eyes laid on Naruto.

"Well now, you have become a jōnin Naruto. This might be more difficult than I thought." Itachi said. The group prepared to fight the rouge and last Uchiha.

_**XXXXX**_


End file.
